The Social Archeology Channel

To create a successful video game, one must provide both a unique premise and a certain level of frenzied excitement. Combine the two successfully and people will part ways with every quarter in their pocket. One such game was the quirky and fast-paced BurgerTime, which pitted the player against a variety of fast food objects and edible enemies while they raced against time to build the perfect burger. Continue reading...

Few soft drinks share the pop culture significance of an ice-cold pitcher of Kool-Aid. A staple of summertime for literally generations of tykes, it is also a favorite among parents for it costs mere pennies per serving and is so easy to make - any youngster can whip up a batch on their own in just a few minutes - providing a perfect refreshment after a hard day's play. Continue reading...

What an inert, innocent appearance for such a versatile toy. Silly Putty would just sit there like a lump—literally—until you deigned to pick it up. But then, oh then…it came alive. Well, not really; there was a fair amount of elbow grease involved in getting enjoyment out of the Putty. It bounced; it flowed (if given enough time); it stuck to the wall; it stuck to newsprint and comic books and copied whatever was on the page; it even picked up pet hair and dust, should the average 8-year old feel a sudden urge to clean the living room. It could be kneaded and bent, stretched and flattened. And it owed its existence to an accident. Continue reading...

Tim Allen enjoyed a rapid rise in stardom in the late 80s/early 90s as a stand-up comedian. He owed his success to a hilarious routine that revolved around power tools and the primeval grunting males that covet them in their never-ending quest to be the king of all home repairs. Network execs at ABC thought that made for an interesting premise for a sitcom, and the foundation was laid for Home Improvement. Over the next decade, the series rose in popularity like a mighty skyscraper under swift construction. Continue reading...

One of the most noteworthy garage bands of the 1960s, The Archies showcased the fun side of adolescence with their sunny attitude and catchy pop tunes. They never performed live because, unfortunately, every band member suffered from acute cartoonitis, a condition that renders the afflicted brightly colored and two-dimensional. Archie, Jughead and the rest of the gang peddled their cotton candy sounds on The Archie Show, a Saturday morning cartoon which debuted in 1968. Continue reading...

If ever there were a list of best films to see at the drive-in, The Blob just might top the list. Sure, it is the epitome of low budget. Sure, the monster amounts to little more than a gelatinous mound of goo, devoid of so much as a scary eye or blood-dripping fangs. But in the 50s, this was frightening stuff, the type of film that could make a girl cuddle in fear - and that was well worth the price of admission (even if she might be checking out Steve McQueen a little more than she let on). Continue reading...

Call it the Russian Revolution ... In 1987, software company Spectrum Holobyte, Inc., released a PC game designed by Russian programmer Alexey Pazhitnov. Dubbed Tetris (from the Greek word for "four"), the game was deceptively simple: Using seven different shapes, each made of four blocks, players tried to build complete rows at the bottom of the screen. But what appeared an easy task at first glance proved maddening once the pressure was on, which made this one addictive video game. Continue reading...

During the mid-70s, it was no longer necessary to wear your emotions on your sleeve; any appendage would do! Science and marketing merged to unleash one of the biggest fads of all time, the mood ring. Soon, everyone and their mother seemed to be wearing one of these jewelry accessories on their finger, making it easy for the bystander (if the ads were to be believed, at least) to tell what the other person was feeling. Continue reading...